I received a digital ARC of this book from Crown Publishing and #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Normal People follows the lives of Marianne and Connell as they finish high school and make their way through college. These two find a powerful friendship and bond in each other that they explore and test throughout their time in this book. Change can come so rapidly in this time of life: social status, mental states, relationships, self-perception, etc. Through all this change Marianne and Connell learn what it means to have someone you care deeply about in your life. This doesn’t come easy for these two, but it is a compelling, although not always comfortable, read.

The prose was well crafted and I enjoyed the shifting viewpoints. The tone of most of this book is quite dysthymic and I wonder if that was what was keeping me from getting too invested in these characters. That is my main quibble. While I did care for the Marianne and Connell and was rooting for them, I felt like I should have cared for them more than I did. There was some emotional divide that I couldn’t quite bridge. I still enjoyed it quite a bit, though. Recommended for readers looking for character driven writing that captures the social anxiety that many new adults seem to face.

Sally Rooney knows what she's doing. Her style is unique-- blunt, intimate, and almost dreamy-- and I imagine not to everyone's taste. For me, it was like diving deep into the heads of two remarkably spiky, soft-hearted people and falling in love. It was a lovely, intimate experience of reading. Highly recommended. THANKS TO NETGALLEY FOR THE ADVANCE COPY.

I feel as though I don't quite "get" Sally Rooney's books. I have the same reaction to Normal People as I had to Conversations With Friends... I can recognize that her writing is very smart, and unique, but I find that I have to slog through the pretty slim novel just to finish it. Normal People follows a young man and woman from high school where they have a secret sexual relationship, through college where their relationship becomes more open and complicated. We only really know the characters as they relate to each other, and for me, that just wasn't enough to care about them; there also wasn't enough "action" to keep me interested. That said, I do understand the appeal of Rooney and Normal People for a different kind of reader and she is clearly an immensely talented writer.... just not for me.

This subtle novel is full of odd quirky moments that grab the reader's attention to pull them even more deeply into the narrative. The main characters as teenagers and young adults are finding their ways through the world and we accompany them, always at a slight distance, as they progress and fail and keep trying -- in short, as they live normal lives.The author keeps the reader so focused on the characters' interior worlds that the exterior seems to be of almost no account. When a detail that indicates they live in a specific place or at a specific time leaps out, it is almost disorienting. Highly recommended.

This novel was simply too intense for my taste. I found it hard to relate to the protagonists, perhaps their youth or their problems made them too inaccessible for me.

I do see the beauty and nuance in the writing, but I simply could not find myself entrenched in the plot.

I requested Normal People as background reading, to help with the editing process - as we will be reviewing it on BookBrowse. All things being equal, the review is scheduled for April 17--and a copy will be sent to Crown Publicity's generic email address (as I don't currently have a direct contact point for this book).

I received an ARC of Normal People by Sally Rooney in exchange for a fair review.
Normal People is a beautiful book about the complicated relationship between Connell and Marianne, classmates in 21st century rural Ireland (and later at Trinity in Dublin). They come from very different families (support, socio-economic background, etc.) and different social circles. However, as their relationship spans the years they are often the only other person either can turn to. Sally Rooney's insights into her characters are reminiscent of Alice Munroe; poignant and thoughtful words of wisdom that will resonate with any reader.

I have mixed feelings about this book. On one hand, the writing is strong and the characterizations are spot-on. On the other hand, I didn't feel compelled to turn the pages to find out what happened next. This is a love story that is not a romance. Don't expect it follow to the normal trajectory of girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back and they live happily ever after. Rather, this is a book that examines the way people in relationships really behave--not the way we *want* them to behave.

Each chapter is separated by a few weeks, a few months, or a few minutes. The story follows Connell and Marianne, two very different people from the same town, through the ups and downs of their adolescence through their new adulthood. Over the course of this short novel, they hook up, break up, act up, and grow up. The characters are as frustrating as normal people--so at least the title is apt. This is a quiet novel that will appeal to readers who are searching for psychological acuity instead of commercial entertainment.

Set in Ireland, Normal People is about two young adults as they continue to be pulled back into each other's orbit. As teens, Marianne and Connell meet when Connell's mom works as a housekeeper for Marianne's family. Marianne is an outcast at school; Connell is a popular jock. Yet, the two share a connection and soon start spending time together and sleeping together. As it becomes increasingly obvious that they are a good match, Connell spins into anxiety at the thought his friends at school would judge him for being with the unpopular Marianne. So they keep it a secret.

This is just the beginning of their story that spans several years into their college life. As Marianne finds her place and becomes well-liked, Connell delves into shyness and awkwardness. As Marianne continuously becomes more self destructive, Connell becomes depressed. Through it all, they keep in touch with each other, even becoming best friends.

The entire time I just wanted to yell at both of them to tell the truth. Tell each other what they were really feeling. Both of them kept misunderstanding each other and that would lead to heartbreak and misery for both. Over and over again. It was incredibly frustrating, yet entirely relatable and real.

While the ending made me angry, like the rest of the book, I still really liked it. I couldn't put it down. I cared about Connell and Marianne. I wanted them to be happy and to finally realize that they needed each other.

This is a heartbreaking, aggravating, enthralling character study of a novel. There isn't a lot of action in the whole book. It's reality. It's messy. It's depressing. It's melancholy. But its beautifully written and one of the most realistic depictions of young adulthood. (Also, just to note, there is domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse and more discussed and depicted in the book.)

**I received an e-ARC from Netgalley((

The Catcher in the Rye for the current generation. Like Catcher in the Rye, it is about high schoolers but not FOR high schoolers.

Well-observed coming of age tale. Meet Connell and Marianne in high school and see them navigate class differences, friendship, sex, moving to the city for university.

Character driven, slow, sad, worth sticking with it.

What a beautiful story. Perfect for people who love character studies. I couldn't get enough of this love story, and found it so bittersweet. I didn't want it to end, but I think it ended perfectly.

Normal People is a well-written, thoughtful novel. It is likely better than I rated it, but it left me feeling a bit flat. Connell and Marianne are complex, flawed characters, and I think part of my issue was that I had a tough time connecting with them on any level. While I wouldn't discourage anyone from reading it, this book just wasn't my thing.

I discovered Sally Rooney when on vacation in Ireland, so I was delighted to receive an ARC of Normal People. I’ve waited long enough! This is a coming-of-age story of two teenagers, Connell and Marianne. Over the course of four years, these two learn about themselves and each other. This is not your typical “meet cute” love story. Rooney’s writing carries the novel. It’s poignant and utterly captivating. This is one everyone will be discussing.

This book is subtly wonderful. No huge plot twists, no crazy gotchas. But the story of a complicated relation between two complicated people that unfurls slowly, with such honest detail paid to human nature that it’ll make you blush, if you’re paying close enough attention. This isn’t a book to blow through and move on. Sit with it, read slowly and thoughtfully, and enjoy.

I was so, so excited to get my hands on a copy of 'Normal People'. This is a Man Booker Prize nominee and a Costa Book Award winner. It needs no further recommendations.

Sally Rooney writes absolutely beautifully. This is the finest literary fiction, accessible and breathtaking. The story hooked me from the first page, and I was quickly immersed in the story of Connell and Marianne. I cared about the characters and what happened to them. They felt real, and they are flawed, and their relationship is deeply flawed.

This book is a meditation on the expectations of society and the pressures we put on ourselves to conform and fit in. It is about the intricacies of relationships, and the outside forces that shape our expectations of ourselves and others. It is a love story, and it is heart wrenching and sad and lovely.

There are books that are beautifully written yet boring, but this was not ever boring. It felt important, and both timely and timeless. Highly recommended.

This is one of the best books I have read in the past few years. Sally Rooney managed to capture the feeling of adolescence, love and friendship in all of its confusing and complicated glory for those in their college years. It's an absolutely brilliant read that feels like a modern day "Catcher in the Rye."

Marianne and Connell are two people who come into each others lives and find themselves changed forever. Rooney really captured the painful shift and change in identities that you experience when you leave your hometown and stand on your own feet. It explores the connections we foster with others and how those shape our lives wether or family or friends, good or bad. The emotions were raw and the writing was honest and brutal. I can see why it has become a hit in England.

Many critics have considered this book a contemporary zeitgeist, and I think that's a really valid statement. All though the book can be pretty relatable to younger people, Rooney has a talent for writing about the and mental strategy and acuteness that go into presenting yourself socially and in personal relationships. The book is definitely intense at times, but it's an intensity that is super resonate, particularly with younger people. Bringing in dynamics of socioeconomic class and privilege makes class consciousness a critical factor that I think people in their 20s and 30s are in tune with more so than other generations I definitely recommend this book, it's so good!!

I loved every bit of this book. From the moment I read the first few lines, I knew I would have a hard time putting it down. I had a visceral connection to it almost immediately and I couldn't put it down. I didn't want to.

The books I love fall into two categories: books i have no qualms about recommending to everyone and books I love but I wouldn't feel comfortable recommending without a bunch of caveats. This book falls in the latter category.

I want to start with the caveats:
- this might be boring for many, there's no plot, nothing really happens and there's no "ending" either. It's almost like a glimpse into the lives of these characters over the course of a few years.
- there is a lot of sex and drinking and some drugs in the book. not many graphic descriptions of any of it but if you're sensitive it will bother you.
- the secondary characters are not well developed and are so not the point of the story that the writers almost comes off like she couldn't be bothered
- it's hard to tell what the "point" of the story is or if there even is one.

I will also say while I liked it ok, I didn't love Rooney's first novel and I didn't go into this thinking it was going to be amazing. Man Booker prize finalists are a mixed bag in my opinion so I wasn't sure what to expect.

Ok, now that I have all the other caveats out of the way, I am going to come back to: I loved this book. I will thinking about it for a long, long time. I've underlined many parts of it. So much of this book connected with me.

I don't even know how to describe what spoke to me so deeply. It's so human is the best way I can think to describe it. The emotions the two main characters have, the deep conflict, the constant miscommunication (or lack of communication) that is a result of their own insecurities, their own feelings of inadequacy can be felt so acutely in this story that it made me wince several times. There are so many moments of realizations for the characters, moments where they see how their idea of something doesn't really match up with the reality of the world and how their distorted thinking ruins their chances of joy again and again. It felt so true and real to me.


Here are a few quotes that really spoke to me::

Marianne sometimes sees herself at the very bottom of the ladder, but at other times she pictures herself off the ladder completely, not affected by its mechanics since she does not actually desire popularity or do anything to make it belong to her. From her vantage point, it's not obvious what rewards the ladder provides, even to those who really are at the top.

The ladder is complicated for all people, at all rungs.

Even in memory she will find this moment unbearably intense, and she's aware of this now, while it's happening. She has never believed herself fit to be loved by any person. But now she has a new life, of which this is the first moment, and even after many years have passed she will still think: Yes, that was it, the beginning of my life.

This was such a touching moment for me. Those times in your life when you can experience something monumental and be aware of it's hugeness at the same time. Sort of like both living and observing your life simultaneously.

He knew that the secret for which he had sacrificed his own happiness and the happiness of another person had been trivial all along, and worthless.

Isn't this the saddest moment when you find out this thing you were so afraid of being "found out" for was meaningless to others? What you made so big in your mind, what you contorted your life for.

You learn nothing very profound about yourself simply by being bullied but by bullying someone else you learn something you can never forget.

i wish this were true. I don't know if it is.

No one can be independent of other people completely, do why not give up the attempt, she thought, go running in the other direction, depend on people for everything, allow them to depend on you, why not.

this might be the crux of this story in the end. if only we could.

I can't even tell you what the story is about. I just know that there's so much of it that spoke to me. And I can totally see that at another time, in another place, I might have found all of it empty and pointless. But I didn't. I connected with this deeply and felt rewarded again and again throughout the story.

huge thanks to netgalley for an advance copy in return for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
This coming of age story focuses around two young people who grow up together in a complicated relationship. With a focus on 4 years of their lives, this book shows the depth of love, its’ boundaries and its’ insecurities. It is a story that will touch your heart and leave you pondering the character’s intentions.

Thank you to @netgalley and @hogarthbooks for this ARC in return for an honest review